As the music for “Choeur Des Gamins” begins to play, nine young performers confidently march across the room at Hollister’s Canta Studios. Singing in French, they are portraying children who live on the streets, mocking an assembly of soldiers with this parody of their military discipline.
It is a moment from Act 1 of Georges Bizet’s “Carmen” and they are rehearsing for their part in the Opera San José production of the classic 1875 work. In all, 12 youths from Canta are performing in the show, which runs until Feb. 27 at San Jose’s California Theatre.
The greatest challenge for 11-year-old Leo Hernandez was the French libretto—a language he was unfamiliar with. He had been singing for less than a year when he tried out for this production and had never been in a stage show before.
“It was hard at first, but I learn things pretty fast.,” he said. “I really like the experience because I wanted to get over my fears of being on stage. Now I know about all the accents I have to make for the song and it seems easier. I have to get it right because there are just so many people who are looking at what I am doing.”
Canta’s opportunity to participate in the production arose through the association its artistic director, Jose Chuy Hernandez, already had with the opera company.
“I started collaborating with them at the beginning of 2021,” he said. “I played guitar at their digital studio for a couple of their productions. I told the general director of the company, Khori Dastoor, that we were putting together a children’s choir here in Hollister and she said it had been her dream to feature children from this community as part of a big production.”
Hernandez began discussions on a possible project, and during December, work on “Carmen” began with the idea of creating as diverse a cast as possible.
We wanted to make sure everyone within the community was represented onstage,” he said. “Before the pandemic, we had around 25 kids, but many were too old for this kind of choir. So it was a perfect opportunity to bring back the younger ones and look for new kids who wanted to join.”
The cast began rehearsing two days a week and just before opening week they rehearsed five days a week.
“It has been very challenging for the parents to drive all the way to San Jose,” he said. “Sometimes they have to wait there for three or four hours before they can go back home. But everyone is super happy that their children are active again, particularly with them being in such a huge production.”
There are over 100 people involved in the opera, including a 50-piece orchestra, and strict COVID protocols have been in place throughout the production. All members of the choir had to be vaccinated, and wore masks while rehearsing. Canta staff members are regularly tested for the virus.
Even with the restraints of the pandemic, Hernandez said the experience has been a wonderful one for the children.
“Everyone at the opera company has been so kind and so giving,” he said. “They treat each member, including the parents, so professionally. The kids have their own dressing room with their names on the doors and their costumes are always organized and laundered for them. It allows the children to immerse themselves in a professional realm of art.”
Thirteen-year-old Emily Martinez has been performing for over three years and previously was cast in the TeatroVision production of “Macario.” She has been enjoying the work that goes into this opera and hopes to be a stage performer one day.
“It has been kind of nerve-wracking, but at the same time so amazing,” she said. “You are exposed to so many amazing artists in the production and you are thinking, ‘I want to be like this when I grow up.’ You are seeing something you want to be part of in the future.”
This is the largest audience she has performed for, so it has taken her time to get used to it.
“Sometimes I feel a little nervous in front of so many people,” she said. “But then I remember that I am doing this for them and having fun at the same time, so why be nervous?”
Tickets are available from the California Theatre box office for the Feb. 17, 20, 25 and 27 performances. Face masks and proof of full vaccination and boosters are required to attend. English supertitles are provided and the performances run approximately three hours with two intermissions.
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